Effingham—August 15, 2023—Ossipee residents Tammy McPherson and William Bartoswicz have appealed the Effingham Planning Board’s conditional approval of a gas station at the former Boyle’s Market, which abuts their homes. Ossipee Lake Alliance joined the appeal, which was filed on August 10 in State Superior Court.
The appeal states that the board’s approval is contrary to the town’s Site Plan Review Regulations, which require the board to protect the public’s health, safety and welfare, and avoid development which may result in negative environmental impacts.
“The [board’s] decision takes a safe, environmentally stable site with existing viable commercial and residential uses and adds a use which is dangerous and threatening to the aquifer and the abutters,” the Petition of Certiorari states.
The appeal notes that the Planning Board’s Finding of Facts, the basis of its July 11 decision, does not mention that the site is adjacent to numerous wells, or that it is a former gravel pit with highly transmissive soils directly above the Ossipee Aquifer.
“The Planning Board appears to have erroneously believed that because Meena received a variance for a gas station…that approving the site plan application was inevitable, regardless of environmental concerns.”
Despite being presented with “ample evidence” of the potential for contaminants from leaks and spills to infiltrate the aquifer and the public water supply well on the property, the board did not require an Environmental Impact Study, the appeal states.
The document cites the abutters’ technical consultant, Dr. Robert Newton of Geoscience Solutions LLC, who provided the Planning Board with information showing the plan’s stormwater management system is inadequate.
Additionally, per Newton, better “subcatchment delineation” is needed, and the design of the oil-water separation system will likely fail in extreme weather events.
“The stormwater management system as designed cannot handle the runoff from the property, as it is based on an incorrect interpretation of the watershed areas,” the petition states.
The result, per the document, will be that overflow from the bioretention basin, a key part of the stormwater management system, will run directly onto property owned by the N.H. Department of Transportation (NH DOT) and into a small wetland that drains into Philips Brook which flows to Ossipee Lake.
Section 6.4[I] of the Site Plan Review regulations prohibits increasing the peak flow of surface runoff if it passes beyond property lines unless it is within an approved public storm drainage system. The appeal notes that NH DOT informed the applicant last year that state property cannot be used as an integral part of the developer’s stormwater management plan.
Variance and Discretionary Decision Making
The Planning Board “disregarded” the need for a variance under the town’s zoning regulations in regard to front setback requirements for the proposed diesel gas pumping operation and the oil-water separator equipment to treat stormwater runoff, per the appeal.
The appeal also states that the Planning Board improperly delegated to its chairman and consulting engineer “discretionary decision making” in determining whether the applicant has met the “conditions precedent” set by the board, which are the requirements that must be met before final approval is granted.
The appeal states that such authority violates RSA 676:4,I (i). Moreover, the applicant’s responses to the board in regard to the conditions precedent require a hearing and notice in accordance with RSA 676:4,I (d).
“Matters such as how far to move the Basin Spillway so as not to impact steep slopes, the number and location of spot elevations and directional flow which in part allows you to check the accuracy and adequacy of drainage flows are not minor administrative items, especially when the petitioners have an expert who has disputed the validity of the applicant’s calculations.”
The petition concludes that “The Town of Effingham Planning Board acted illegally and/or unreasonably for the foregoing reasons,” and asks the court to grant relief it deems “just and proper.”
A chronology of the Meena LLC case and all documents are at https://bit.ly/meenagas.
As a permanent resident of Leavitt Bay, I am strongly in favor of the appeal. I feel it is better to be “safe than sorry”.
Very glad appeal has begun as this whole process and decision are WRONG FOR THIS AREA AND THOSE WHO LIVE HERE. Time to rectify this horrible decision and ensure the safety of our citizens and water.
Thank you so much for persevering in trying to rectify this discission that is a travesty to the safety of the environment and the residents who depend upon the Ossipee Aquifer for our continued ability to live and enjoy our property.
I will continue to support all efforts in this fight.
The appeal is very good news.
As someone who has lived within 1000 yards of this site for almost 30 years I am in favor of the Meena station. Things definitely could have been handled by all parties so differently but in my opinion that is moot at this point. This location had fuel pumps and storage when we moved in, they were taken out & not replaced at that time due to a financial decision by the Boyles ownership. Abbott & Staples sits over the aquifer and still has fuel pumps and storage. It was many years ago that Abbott & Staples systems were updated and I seriously doubt the technology is anywhere close to what has been installed at Meenas. One of my pet peeves about this situation and Ossipee Lake Alliance (and maybe some of the residents in the area who are affected by this) is the lack of publicity, discussion, information and education regarding the polluting effects of creating lawns, fertilizer use and runoff, cutting down of trees on the shore, unmitigated ground water runoff into the lake, sneaky work on shore fronts that you should be getting permits for (you and your neighbors know who you are), failing septic systems, chemical disposal, etc. Those issues contribute directly to water quality of not only the aquifer but the lake itself. Its time to move on with the Meena situation. Let them finish their place. Make sure monitoring is done as indicated it would be. Please, going forward, make working on education for residents as to how their own actions on their properties can effect water quality both above and below ground your priorities.
Thank you for listening.
Well said Linda. As a native of Ossipee for 68 years now I agree with you totally.
Well said Linda I totally agree, and how about all the two cycle boats that leave an oil slick from exhausting oil into the lake, no mention of that. They have jumped through all the hoops let them rebuild the gas station!